Mechanism control



April 18, 1939. H. J. EDWARDS MECHANISM CONTROL Filed Jan. 29, 1937 n #0 y N INVENTOR Hen/yd. fdwdf'dfl BY 7 l 7 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 18, 1939 MECHANISM CONTROL Henry J. Edwards, Ottawa Hills, Ohio, assignor to Willys-Overland Motors, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application January 29, 1937, Serial No. 122,929

1Claim.

This invention relates to mechanism control and more particularly to an arrangement for actuating or controlling braking mechanism of a vehicle.

5 The invention embraces the provision of a brake control mechanism having a manipulating member which moves in substantially straight line for actuating the braking mechanism to "set position and which may be partially rom tated and moved linearly to effect release of the braking mechanism.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple and effective means for providing a manual -brake controlling means I especially adapted for mounting adjacent the instrument panel, thus eliminating such mechanism from the floor of the vehicle and at the same time placing the brake manipulating means within convenient reach of the vehicle operator. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a simple yeteffective brake control means in which the major number of parts are fabricated of sheet metal, thus enhancing the interchangeability of the parts as well as effect- 25 ing economies in manufacture and assembly.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention .such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details 0: of construction andto combinations of parts, elemnts per 'se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may 35 be preferred, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view through the forward portion of the vehicle body illustrating a form of brake controlling means of my invention;

4o Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Flgure'l; 4

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the brake controlling means of my invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view 45 taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the position of certain parts when the brakes are in set position;

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 showing the mechanism in brake releasing position.

so While I have illustrated the-control mechanism of my invention as utilized for manipulating brakes of an automotive vehicle, it'is to be understood that I contemplate the utilization in conjunction with any mechanism where the same 35 may be found to be applicable.

(Cl. lb-503) In the arrangement as illustrated, numeral l0 indicates the forward portion of a vehicle body having a windshield ll, instrument panel vll, floor boards I 5, steering post l6, steering wheel l1, and a chassis frame I5. Preferably secured 5 to chassis frame I 8 is a pair of spaced brackets 20 (one only of which is illustrated) secured to the chassis frame by means of bolts 2| or other suitable means, the brackets supporting a shaft 23 extending transversely of the vehicle frame. 10 Keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the shaft is an arm 25 to which is secured a clevis member 26, the latter in turn being connected to a brake actuating rod 21 or other suitable brake actuating intermediary. Also fixedly secured to the shaft 23 is anupwardly projecting pedal member "projecting through an opening in the floor boards l5, the pedal having a foot pad portion 3|, the arrangement being such that depression of the pedal member rotates the shaft 23, thus exerting a pull upon the brake actuating means 21 to set the brakes of the vehicle.

Also secured to shaft 23 is an arm 32 carrying a pin 33 at its upper extremity, the latter proiecting into a longitudinal slot 34 formed in a member 35, one end of member 35 being pivotally connected by means of a pin 36 to one end of lever 31. The lever 31 is fulcrumed upon pin or shaft 38 which is carried in the end portion of a bracket 39, the latter being secured to the 30 chassis frame l3 in a suitable manner as by means of bolts 40, the lever being normally urged toward brake releasing position by means of coil spring 4! having one extremity connected to pin 36 and the other connected as at 42 to the 5 chassis frame.

Secured to the upper end of lever 31 by means of a pin 43 is a clevis member 44 to which is connected a rod 45, the latter having an extremity which is threaded as at 46 and is received in a threaded opening in the clevis member 44. The rod may be locked in adjusted position by. means v of a nut 41.

As particularlyshown in Figures 1 and 2, the rod is provided at its other extremity with a 45 ball portion 49 which extends into the end ofa hollow tubular member 5|, the end of the tube 5| being formed as at 50 as illustrated in Figure 2 to retain the ball' portion of rod 45 in engagementjwithmember 5| and yet permit rotation of 50 member 5| independent of the rod 45.

The hollow tubular member 5| passes through aligned openings in depending ears 53 and 54 of a bracket or support 55, the latter in turnbeing secured to a member 56 by means of bolts 51 u which is supported upon a projection l3 connect ed to the instrument panel- |2, the member 56 being secured to projection l3 by means of bolts 53 or other suitable means. There is sufficient clearance between the exterior walls of the memand an extremity of member 5| projecting intoa bore in the boss portion.

As particularly illustrated, a portion of the exterior surface of member 5| is provided with a series of spaced depressions or notches 62 forming a series of spaced ratchet shaped teeth 63, the configuration of the notches as viewed in top plan being illustrated in Figure 2. Secured to bracket by means of one of the bolts 51 is a pawl means in the form of ,a spring plate 65 having its forward extremity 66 curved to engage the teeth 63 in the member 5|, the plate serving to retain member 5| in adjusted or brake setting position by engagement withvtheproper tooth in member 5|. v v

It will be noted from examination of Figures 1 and 4 that when the handle portion 59 extends in a substantially horizontal position that the teeth 63 are in alignment with and adaptedto be engaged by the extremity 66 of the spring plate 65. When the handle 59lis rotated through substantially ninety degrees as indicated in Figure 3, member 5| is likewise rotated so that the notches are brought to the position as indicated in Figure 5 so that the extremity of plate 65 contacts only with the smooth exterior contour of member 5|. 7 I

In the manipulation of the control means of my invention when it isdesired to effect a set.-

ting of the brakes, the handle 59 while in horizontal position as illustrated in Figure 1 is grasped by the operator and longitudinal force exerted thereupon causes a sliding movement of member 5| relative to the support 55 oscillating lever 31 about its pivot or fulcrum point, and through the medium of pin 33 and arm 32 causes rotation of the shaft 23 to set the brakes. plate 65 engages one of the teeth 63 in member 5| to retain the latter in brake setting position. In order to release the brakes, the operator rotates the handle member59 and consequently 59 which is held? means of a pin passing member 5| through substantially'ninety degrees, that is, to the dotted line position as indicated in Figure 3, which brings the toothed portion of member 5| into the position illustrated in Figure 5, thus disengaging plate from engagement with teeth 63 and under the influence of the coil spring 4| causes slidable movement of member 5| with respect to bracket 55 bringing member 5| to its innermost or brake releasing position. The handle 59 may then be returned to its horizontal-position to be in aim-effective position of use when it is again desired to manipulate the brakes. The depressions or notches 62 as particularly illustrated in Figure 2 are preferably of sufiicient depth to cut through the side wall of the tubular member 5| forming openings. These openings have the advantage that any debris or other foreign matter which would normally collect in these depressions will pass through to the interior of the member 5|, thus maintaining the depressions free from dust, dirt, and the like and insuring effective engagement of the teeth with the pawl means. H v Q It is to be noted that due to the arrangement of pin 33 operating in slot 34 in member'35,"the service brake pedal 30 maybe actuated'independently of the hand operated brake" of my invention.

It is apparent that within'the scope of they invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other 'thariis herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending, all yariations thereof.

.What I claim is:

Brake controlling means v so I comprising, in cum:v bination, a lever adapted tobe connected to brak-[' ing means; a supporting member formed of sheet' metal and having transversely extending ear portions, said ear portions having aligned openings therein; atubular member slidably mounted in the openings in said support; means including a balljoint connecting said tubular member with 7 said lever, said tubular member having a series of depressions extending throughthe wall. thereof forming teeth; a plate spring associated with said support and engageable with the teeth to hold the tubular member in brake setting position, said tubular member being adapted for rotation to effect the disengagement of said plate with the teeth.

HENRY J. EDWARDS. 

